Thermometer



1943- E. c. HARTMAN 7 2,327,037

THERMOMETER Filed June 29, 1942 INVENTOR EON/IRTMA/V BYA ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 17, 1943 umrso STATES parent OFFICE THERMOMETER Elmer C. Hartman, Rochester, N. Y., assignorto Taylor Instrument Companies, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 29, 1942, Serial No. 449,961

' (ems-e74) V 4 Claims.

This invention relates to thermometers.

The main feature of the invention pertains to a one-piece thermometer of a construction in which the glass front thereof is retained in the thermometer case by a novel bezelarrangement.

The various features of the invention will appear from the detailed description andclaims when taken with the drawing in which Fig. 1 is a front View of a thermometer made in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged partially vertical section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. l; and Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical sections taken in a plane defined by the bezel receiving groove, showing two different stages of the bezel in the groove.

Referring to the drawing, the thermometer comprises a one-piece case preferably made of die-cast metal, although it will be understood rat it may be made of molded rubber or plastic materials, if desired. Ihe case 6 is troughas shown particularly in Fig. 3, providing a V-shaped back 1, side Walls 8 and end walls 9. A thermometer tube I secured in the center of the V-shaped back 1 extends through an opening in the lower end wall 9 (see Fig. 1) into the metal protective bulb I! joined to the lower end of the case. Suitably graduated scale plates l3 are secured to the'back l at each side of the thermometer tube id. The front of the case 6 is closed by a transparent cover plate l4, detachably and resiliently clamped within the case in a manner to be presently described.

By referring to Figs. 2, 4 and 5, it will be noted that the side and end walls 8 and 9 of the case are provided with a groove l5, which preferably extends completely around the inner surface of the case. This groove receives the margin of a bezel serving to lock the glass or cover plate [4 in the case 6. The bezel is preferably made in the form of two complementary L-snaped sections l6, it having interfitting ends respectively provided with tongues and recesses which serve to lock the two pieces together when assembled in the groove. Each section comprises a long member Mia and a short member Nib extending at right angles thereto. The short member terminates in a stub 150 which extends generally parallel to the long member ifia with the free of the stub and the long member both extending in the same direction. Each section is preferably made from sheet-metal having a substantial degree of rigidity. It will be noted that the long member is disorted from a straight v the zigzag springs it.

full lines in the mentioned figure.

line at point' X, so that when unrestrained it occupies the position shown in full lines (Fig. 4) while it occupies the position shown in Fig. 1 when assembledin the, thermometer case. It should alscbe mentioned that the short member a reduced cross section at point Y, to facilitate flexing this member'in the course of assembling the bezel sections into the thermometer case. 7 f

The outside dimensions of the bezel l5 are greater than'interior dimensions of the case so that the outer margin of the bezel, when assembled in the open front of the case, will seat in the groove !5 but the inner dimensions of the bezel are such that its margin will overlie the edgeof the glass cover plate It.

It is essential to retain the cover plate or glass 44 in the case without rattling and for this purpose elongated zigzag springs is are mounted along the side walls 8 of the case, preferably being spot-welded at points 20 to the flanges 2| of the scale-plate supporting members. The cover plate l l rests on the crests of these zigzag springs, as shown in Fig. 2, the springs being of such height as to normally maintain the cover plate slightly above the groove 15. Thus, when the bezel I6 is seated in the groove 15 to lock the cover plate in position, the springs [9 will be compressed slightly, thereby resiliently clamping the cover plate between these springs and the inn- 1 margin of the bezel (see Fig. 3).

In assembling the thermometer, the glass cover plate [4, which is slightly smaller than the interior dimensions of the open front of the case, is placed within the case so that it rests on the crests of The cover plate is then pressed down to compress the springs I9 and to expose the continuous groove 15. One bezel section i6 is moved over the surface of the glass cover plate I4 from its dotted position in Fig. 4 until it partially occupies the groove [5 as shown in The second bezel section It when inverted, is assembled in the unoccupied portion of groove 15 of the casein the same manner as the first section. In swinging the two sections IE to the position shown in Fig. 5, the stub end of the left-hand member interlocks with the free end of the 10Ilg member l to of the right-hand section and forces the dis torted portion of this long member into the groove l5. The spaced ends of the two sections 16 as shown in the upper left hand corner of Fig. 5, are respectively forced in the direction of the arrows until these two ends of the members interlock as shown in Fig. 1. In disassembling the bezel, one

I claim:

plate in the case, said bezel having interlocking ends respectively provided with a tongue recess, an end portion of said bezel being normally biased away from said groove.

3. A thermometer comprising a case having a back and. side and end walls defining an open front, the inner surface of said side and end walls having a groove therein, a transparent cover plate for closing the front of said case and receivable within said side and end walls, and a rectangular bezel adapted to be seated in said groove, said bezel comprising two substantially similar and somewhat flexible L-shaped sections having 1. A thermometer comprising a case having a back and side and end walls defining an open front, the inner surface of said side and end walis having bezel-receiving portions therein, a transparent cover plate receivable within said side and end walls for closing the front of said case, and a divided bezel received in said portions to retain said cover plate in said case, said bezel having interlocking ends respectively provided with a tongue and recess whereby it .is retained in said portions.

2. A thermometer comprising a case having a a back and side and end walls defining an open front, the inner surfaceof said sid-e-and end walls having a groovetherein, a-transparent cover plate receivable within said side and end walls for closing the front of said case, and a divided rectangular bezel-seated in said groove to retain said cover means for interengaging the ends of one section with'the ends'oi the other section.

4. A thermometer comprising a case having a back and side and end walls containing an open front, the inner surface of said side and end walls having a groove therein, a transparent cover plate for approximately closing the front of said case and receivable with said side and end walls, and a rectangular bezel adapted to be seated in said groove, said bezel comprising two substantially similar and somewhat flexible L-shaped sections having means for interengaging one section with the ends of the other section, each section having a long member anda short member, at least one member being distorted toward its connected short member in the plane common to-said short ,member.

' ELMER C. I-IAR'IMAN. 

